Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday after the body of the Palestinian who carried out the vehicular attack the previous day was returned to the family.
"Netanyahu's conduct is not just a disgrace, but also seriously undermines the deterrence of potential terrorists and encourages terror attacks," Lieberman said, calling on the prime minister "to immediately resign."
The former foreign minister argued that "Netanyahu needs to resign - if not because of all of the other reasons, then because of his outrageous conduct on the issue of returning terrorists' bodies. While an IDF soldier is fighting for his life at the hospital after the vehicular attack yesterday in Dolev, the body of the terrorist who carried out that attack has already been returned to his family and welcomed with cries of joy and encouragement by hundreds of Qalandiya residents."
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Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman (Photo: Be'er Sheva municipality)
(באדיבות דוברות עיריית באר שבע)
Education Minister Naftali Bennett also slammed the move. "This is a grave mistake that encourages the next attack," he said before entering a cabinet meeting. "We need to prevent the worship of terrorists' graves, and there is no reason to give gifts to families of murderers."
Three IDF soldiers from the Duchifat Battalion in the Kfir Brigade were wounded in the attack on Tuesday. One was seriously wounded, while the other two were lightly hurt.
The body of terrorist Ahmed Shahada was returned even though Netanyahu in late March ordered to completely halt the returning of bodies to the terrorists' families, saying it incites violence and could lead to an escalation in the security situation.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and the defense establishment, as well as Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, support the returning of bodies - so long as the families adhere to a list of conditions.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu dumped the responsibility on Ya'alon and Erdan. "On Sunday, Prime Minister Netanyahu decided to pass on the authority to return terrorists' bodies to the defense and public security ministers," the Prime Minister's Office said. "The returning of the body tonight is under the authority of the defense minister, in accordance with the limitations."
The defense minister's office confirmed the body had been return in accordance with the instructions of the political leadership.
Erdan, meanwhile, denied that his ministry has any involvement in the issue, saying, "The body that was returned has nothing to do with the police or with me. My policy has never changed. A family that meets the police's conditions - could receive and bury the body."
The PMO has yet to respond to Lieberman's comments.